


Christmas Wishes

by BeachBum3668



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:28:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29171121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeachBum3668/pseuds/BeachBum3668
Summary: Sometimes it takes all your courage to make your Christmas wish come true.
Relationships: Kathryn Janeway/Seven of Nine
Comments: 3
Kudos: 51





	Christmas Wishes

**Author's Note:**

> These characters belong to ViacomCBS and were brought to life by the incredible talents of Jeri Ryan and Kate Mulgrew. No infringement is intended or profit made from this work. I'm just borrowing them for a bit and I promise to put them back when I'm finished. Whether or not they'll ever be the same again is anybody's guess.
> 
> M/NC-17. If you have a problem with two adult women in a committed, loving relationship then this is where you need to find something else to read.
> 
> Do not archive or repost without author's permission.
> 
> Feedback: As always, constructive criticism and comments are welcome.

The blast wave that marked the Borg sphere’s demise rocked the entire fleet as thousands of eyes watched the sleek form erupt from the fireball. The bridge crew on that sleek ship stared back equally disbelieving.

“We’re being hailed,” said Harry Kim, fingers dancing over his OPs board.

“On screen,” ordered his captain.

The view screen flicked from a panorama of the armada facing them to several astonished Starfleet admirals and officers. Captain Kathryn Janeway of **_USS Voyager_** did not smile as she addressed the stunned flag officers, but her tone served to break the tension nonetheless. “Sorry to surprise you; next time we’ll call ahead.”

Admiral Owen Paris was the first to regain his ability to speak. “Welcome back.”

“It’s good to be here,” his former protégé replied, her face stoically set.

“How did you…?”

“It’ll all be in my report, sir.”

Paris realized that the import of what had just happened might be more than many of the assembled officers could easily deal with and replied accordingly.

“I look forward to it.”

Kathryn Janeway looked down at the deck and whispered, “Thanks for your help, Admiral Janeway,” as she fought to control her surging emotions. She was saved from further discourse by a hail from below decks.

“Sickbay to the bridge.” The unmistakable sounds of a newborn trying to cope with an unfamiliar world came across the COMM. In Sickbay, the EMH gently handed the baby girl to her mother and continued, “Doctor to Lieutenant Paris. There’s someone here who’d like to say hello.”

The stern visage of **_Voyager’s_** commanding officer finally dissolved into a wide smile at the news. “You’d better get down there, Tom.”

Her helmsman rose from his seat with a nervous smile. “Yes, ma’am,” he replied, heading to join his wife and brand-new daughter.

The captain turned to her First Officer and gestured to the empty seat. “Mr. Chakotay, the helm.”

“Aye, Captain.” The burly man settled himself at the controls as the captain resumed her familiar place in the command chair and took a steadying breath.

“Set a course for home.”

As **_Voyager_** began to move toward the planet ahead of them the armada swung into formation alongside and escorted the battered but victorious ship back to safe harbor…to Earth.

*** * * * ***

Three hours later the starship was docked at McKinley station and newsvids of the unexpected arrival of the long lost starship were being beamed to all corners of the Alpha quadrant. Starfleet had used the two-hour transit time from the outer rim of the Sol system to McKinley to notify not only the media of the breaking news, but the families of **_Voyager’s_** crew, many of whom had already arrived at Starfleet Headquarters to greet their loved ones. Voyager’s crew had their hands full securing their ship and systems in preparation for docking. Half the flag brass of Starfleet had rushed aboard the moment the docking arm was secured followed closely by members of the Science Directorate intent on downloading every byte of data the starship had collected in the seven years it had journeyed in the Delta quadrant.

Captain Janeway had set the crew to securing the ship enroute to McKinley station and used ship-wide COMM links to keep them apprised of the most current communiqués from Starfleet. As a result, everyone knew it was likely that they would receive a ten-day leave before returning aboard to take ship’s systems offline, stand down and be officially welcomed home. The bulk of the crew had been overjoyed at this chance to spend the winter holidays with families and loved ones; but **_Voyager’s_** Astrometrics officer was not among them.

Seven of Nine had not been an original member of **_Voyager’s_** crew. Neither had she been a member of Chakotay’s Maquis cadre that had merged with the Starfleet crew when both ships had been stranded 70,000 light years from home. Annika Hansen, as she had been born, had been taken into space as a toddler by her scientist parents while they pursued their dream of researching the mysterious Borg Collective. They had succeeded in gathering more data than had ever been known of the Borg, but their overconfidence resulted in the assimilation of the entire family, six-year-old Annika included. Eighteen years later Captain Kathryn Janeway made an alliance with the Collective and demanded a single drone liaison. Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix 01 was the drone activated for that purpose. Janeway had severed her link to the hive mind when the alliance had broken down and despite the drone’s demands to be returned to the Collective, had set her on the course to becoming human once more. Janeway had dug through Federation and Starfleet data logs to discover the Hansens and Annika. One look at the angelic child her resident Borg drone had been and Janeway knew she would do everything in her power to help that being regain her humanity.

The journey had been neither easy nor without setbacks. Nevertheless, over the four years she had been on **_Voyager_** , Seven of Nine had managed to carve out a niche for herself. She had the respect of most the crew and close friendships with of several of them. She had worked hard to find her place in their ‘community’ and discovered that the idea of leaving them disturbed her. She respected Captain Janeway’s unfailing determination to return **_Voyager_** and her crew to the Alpha quadrant and had worked tirelessly to help achieve that goal. Now they were back thanks to the sudden appearance of Admiral Janeway from the future and an alternate timeline. The weapons and armaments she’d brought back with her had enabled **_Voyager_** to navigate into a Borg transwarp corridor and destroy the hub it originated in behind them. There had been three days of feverish preparation, adding the armor, configuring the new weapons, developing a neural toxin to infect the Collective and then…one minute they were flying into the corridor and an hour later, they emerged from the fireball less than a light year from Earth.

There had been no time to prepare mentally for their return; no time to plan. Just as suddenly as **_Voyager_** had been swept into the Delta quadrant seven years earlier she had exploded back into the Alpha quadrant this morning. Even as she worked to download the collected Astrometrics data to the waiting Starfleet computers she felt her anxiety rise. Seven had nowhere to go on Earth; she had lived all but the first three years of her life in space. She knew she had an elderly aunt on Earth; she had spoken to Irene Hansen once via **_Voyager’s_** Pathfinder COMM link with Starfleet. However, a three-minute conversation did not make Seven comfortable with the idea of going to her aunt’s home for the anticipated ten-day leave.

Captain Janeway had once invited her to Bloomington, Indiana where the Janeway farm was located and where the captain had grown up. She had done so when both of them had believed Seven to be dying because of a faulty cortical node. The faulty node had successfully been replaced and Seven had recovered fully. She suspected that the invitation had been tendered in an effort to comfort her in the face of her impending death because since her recovery it had never been mentioned again.

She did not feel comfortable bringing up the invitation to Captain Janeway; the captain was swamped with the minutia of Starfleet bureaucracy and had been isolated in her ready room since they had docked at McKinley Station. Seven could only imagine the multitude of demands being made on her commanding officer, she would not willingly add to them. Nevertheless, a tiny part of her desperately wished that Captain Janeway would remember her promise and be the friend she needed so badly. But, in honesty, ‘friend’ was not the correct term for what Seven needed. She had spent many hours researching romance in the holodeck and come to the realization that her feelings for Captain Janeway were far more than just friendly. However, the captain had shown no indication of returning those feelings and so she had kept silent. So now Seven of Nine tried to prepare herself to spend a forced leave alone and isolated on a planet of billions for the first time in her life. It was not a comforting feeling and for the first time in her memory she felt almost…afraid.

But she was Borg; she would adapt. She would persevere and she would succeed. For now, she would complete her duties as Chief Astrometrics Officer of **_Voyager_** and insure that the priceless data they had collected and mapped in the Delta quadrant was properly archived and downloaded to Starfleet. Then she would secure her stations and face whatever lay ahead. Giving a most un-Borg-like sigh, she returned to her tasks.

*** * * * ***

_Thank God for Reg Barclay and the Pathfinder COMM link. At least we’ve already transmitted all our logs to Starfleet. The EMH is handling the medical logs downloads and Chakotay and I have cobbled together at least the bare bones of how we got back. That ought to keep the brass busy until after the holidays at least. Then they can debrief us for as long as they want._

Kathryn Janeway leaned back in her chair and rubbed a hand over her tired eyes. Seven years cut off from her chain of command had made her far more independent that most Starfleet captains. She’d had no one else to rely on except her crew and now, suddenly, admirals of every stripe demanding information, reports, records and data beset her. She’d had enough of the paper pushers. Every report that was critical had been filed. The rest could wait until they had all had a chance to embrace friends and families for the holidays. She shut down her workstation and stood, grabbing her ever-present mug of coffee. Striding onto the bridge she scanned the crew busy at their stations and nodded to her First Officer.

“Chakotay, how are the downloads coming?”

“We’re about seventy percent complete, Captain. I think perhaps another hour and a half and the admirals won’t have anything to nag us about.”

“Excellent, you have the CONN. I’ll be in my quarters trying to avoid the brass for an hour.”

He chuckled and moved to take the command chair as she entered the turbolift. “Deck three.”

She stepped out of the lift and walked briskly down the corridor to her quarters at the forward end of the ship. The view ports of her quarters looked out over the primary hull and now, instead of the familiar warp bubble, she saw the runabouts, pods and shuttles of the busy space station. Getting a fresh cup of coffee from her replicator she collapsed on her sofa and leaned her head back with a sigh.

 _Home! Dear God, we actually made it! In another couple of hours I’ll be headed back to the farm for Christmas and I’ll see my mother and Phoebe._ Emotions suddenly overwhelmed her and tears filled her eyes as the loneliness and isolation of the past seven years finally hit home. Memories, both good and sorrowful, cascaded through her mind. The faces of crew who had not survived their journey, aliens they had met and befriended or fought, planets they had visited, joys and terrors they had faced. All these jumbled images filled her thoughts as she fought to regain control. One achingly familiar face appeared over and over: Seven of Nine.

Janeway was never sure exactly when the pride and respect she felt for Seven had morphed into passion and desire. All she really knew was that the beautiful ex-drone had captured her heart and dreams of loving the young woman had filled most of her nights in the past couple of years. Only the constraints of her command had kept her from pursuing **_Voyager’s_** Astrometrics officer; Starfleet captains did not have romantic relationships with members of their crew. So she had held back and kept herself as distant as she could bear from Seven of Nine.

But they were home now. Very soon, she wouldn’t be Seven’s commanding officer. Soon she would be free to follow her heart. Perhaps then she returned from her visit home she would have time to…

She sat up so abruptly that she sloshed coffee all over herself. _Perhaps? Then? Soon?_ They were home _now_. What was she afraid of? What was she waiting for? She’d seen the looks Seven tried to hide, especially since the incidents with her experimentation in the holodeck. Each time she’d caught the blond beauty gazing at her it had made her heart leap and given her hope that someday she might be fortunate enough to love her. She just had to figure out how to get Seven alone and tell her how she felt despite all the Starfleet hoopla and the media circus that would inevitably be foisted on them.

Alone. Here. On Earth. Home.

_Seven is alone here; she has nowhere to go on our holiday leave. I told her I’d bring her to Bloomington! I promised to take her home with me! What better place to tell her how I feel about her?_

She jumped up, spilling even more coffee on her uniform and hustled to her workstation. She quickly set up an external COMM link and hailed her mother at the farm. There was a moment’s static, and then the beloved face of Gretchen Janeway was looking back at her from what had been her father’s study.

“Kathryn? Where are you? We’ve been watching the newsvids all afternoon! Darling, are you all right?”

The tears threatened to overflow again as she grinned at her screen. “I’m just fine, Mom. We’re docked at McKinley Station. Starfleet’s organizing a quickie ‘welcome home’ ceremony in a couple of hours and then we’ll have ten day’s holiday leave. I’ll be home as soon as I can get away from the brass.”

“You’ll do no such thing! Do you honestly think that after seven long years Phoebe and I are going to watch you come home in a _news vid?_ Owen Paris is sending a shuttle for us; we’re leaving for McKinley in ten or fifteen minutes. We’ll be at the foot of the gangway when you walk off the ship. _Then_ we will _all_ go home.”

“Yes, Mom.” Janeway’s grin threatened to split her face. “But listen. Can you handle an extra body for the holidays? I’d like to bring somebody home with me.”

Gretchen’s eyes widened in sudden interest. “Bring someone home with you? Someone… special, Kathryn?”

Kathryn blushed in spite of herself. “I… it… she… could be. At least I hope… she will be. I haven’t exactly… nothing’s really… yeah, Mom. She’s someone special.”

Gretchen’s smile was incandescent. “Darling, that’s wonderful. Of course you can bring Seven with you. It _is_ Seven, right? Phoebe and I _expected_ you to bring her home with you. I’m just thrilled that you finally seem to have recognized your feelings for her. Does she feel the same way?”

“I don’t… I don’t know. But how did _you_ know?” Kathryn’s confusion was evident on her face.

“Darling, we’ve been talking to you and reading your letters for months now. It seems as if no matter what you _start_ talking about, somehow you always _wind up_ talking about Seven of Nine. And you get a wonderfully dreamy look in your eyes when you do. Phoebe was the first to figure it out. I don’t dare tell her Seven’s coming home now. She’ll be teasing you unmercifully while the admirals are fighting to shake your hand for the media. I’ll do my best to keep her in check but I can’t promise anything. She’s been waiting a long time to get your goat.”

Kathryn grinned again. “I can’t wait. But now I’ve got to get some winter clothes organized for Seven; her biometric suits won’t be enough on the farm.”

“What are her measurements? Give them to me and Phoebe and I will order some clothes for her too. That way there will be lots of presents for her under the tree.”

Janeway quickly checked Seven’s data in the replicator files and gave the measurements to her mother. Promising to wrap her official duties up as quickly as she could, she signed off.

 _What will she need to get her home? I’ll need to move the portable regeneration unit off the_ ** _Flyer_** _to bring with us. She’ll need some warm clothes and something to sleep in and… Oh, God. I need to ask her if she_ ** _wants_** _to come home with me first! What is she says_ ** _no_** _?_ ** _Voyager’s_** captain gulped audibly and crossed her fingers.

“Janeway to Seven of Nine.”

“Seven here, Captain. How may I be of assistance?”

“Are you in the middle of something?”

“I am completing the download of our Astrometric files. The full data transfer should be complete in twelve point seven minutes.”

“When you’ve finished would you please come up to my quarters? There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

“Of course, Captain. I will be there as soon as I secure my boards. Seven, out.”

Janeway chuckled. Four years and Seven still refused to honor the Starfleet protocol that dictated the captain always terminated the hail. She found it ‘illogical’. Well, she was right most of the time. Stripping off her coffee-stained uniform, Janeway quickly recycled it and donned the fresh one as she scanned the available replicator clothing files. Since **_Voyager_** was linked by umbilical to McKinley Station and the full Starfleet data banks, the choices were almost limitless for the first time in seven years. Janeway quickly chose some jeans, wool pants, a couple of sweaters and shirts, insulated boots, pajamas, robe and slippers, thick socks and underwear. She programmed in Seven’s measurements and used her command override to authorize the replicator usage.

Once she had the clothing, she replicated a carryall bag, an insulated parka, earmuffs and warm gloves. As a personal indulgence, she requested a cashmere scarf; something soft for against her love’s throat. It was with a slightly wicked grin that Kathryn laid out the clothing and carryall on her bed and waited for her unsuspecting guest to arrive.

*** * * * ***

The download had taken slightly longer than she had predicted, but Seven didn’t think the captain would mind her being three minutes late. After all, she had not specified how long it would take to secure her boards. She arrived at the door to the captain’s quarters and felt a twinge of nervousness course through her. She hoped that there would be the opportunity to bring up the captain’s plans for leave. Perhaps if she could work the topic of Janeway’s home into their discussion it would remind the captain of her promise to take Seven there. However, Seven wasn’t good at subtlety and it had gotten her in no end of trouble on **_Voyager_**. She only hoped that the captain would bring up the subject of the impending leave herself. If she did not, Seven wasn’t at all sure she was capable of doing so without sounding accusing to Captain Janeway. And the last thing she ever wanted to do to the woman she… liked… and admired so intensely was cause her embarrassment. Taking a deep breath she pressed the door chime.

“Enter!” came the reply and the door slid open to reveal the captain holding her favorite mug of coffee and staring out the view ports and the space station. She turned with a smile to greet her Astrometrics officer.

“Hello, Seven. How are things going in the lab?”

“I have completed the download of our files. It would appear that many of the Starfleet Science Directorate officers consider our files to be…I believe the word used was, ‘padded’. They do not believe we gathered the quantity and detail of data that we did. I believe they will soon realize that our sensor enhancements far exceed what they consider the norm. And that they will then descend on our Astrometrics lab in order to see for themselves what we have been attempting to tell them for months.”

“ _Your_ sensor enhancements, Seven. They are all your enhancements. I plan to make sure that Starfleet knows exactly whom they have to thank for the fact that every ship in the fleet will now be able to map space three sectors in every direction from their position. That development will revolutionize Starfleet deep space explorer missions. And it’s all your doing.” Janeway’s welcoming grin faded a bit as she considered what her officer had just said. “Do you really think they’ll come onto the ship to examine the lab?”

“Do not worry, Captain. Even if they do I have secured the Astrometrics boards with Borg encryption codes. No one will be able to access them until you authorize it.”

Janeway’s guffaw collided with a sip of coffee and she very nearly spit it across the room. Seven stepped forward in concern and thumped the smaller woman on the back, precipitating a major coughing fit. Gasping for air, Janeway waved her off as she tried to regain control of herself. Finally when she could breathe again she addressed the young woman standing at what Janeway always thought of as ‘Borg at-ease’: erect, feet slightly apart and hands clasped at the small of her back. She noticed (as she always did) that Seven tilted her head slightly as she looked at Janeway, an unconscious favoring of her optical array.

“Seven, we’re back in the Alpha quadrant, docked at a Starfleet space station. There is no need to secure our Astrometrics lab from Starfleet and Federation scientists with Borg encryption codes. In fact, we’ll probably get into trouble for doing so. I don’t own **_Voyager_** , Starfleet does. They just let me joy ride in her.”

“A seven-year joy ride? Does this mean that Starfleet will… take away your car keys?”

Janeway stared at her officer for a moment then burst into laughter. “Did you just make a joke?”

Seven’s eyes twinkled just a little. “It seemed appropriate. But in all seriousness, Captain, anyone unfamiliar with the protocols of the lab runs the risk of damaging the control coding of the Astrometric sensor arrays if they attempt to utilize them incorrectly.”

“Is there any real danger of that happening?”

“A very real one, Captain. The encryption codes I have installed will allow the science directorate to examine the overall enhancement sub-routines without powering the arrays enough to destroy the coding.”

“And you’ll promise to help them examine all the protocols when we get back from leave?”

Seven shifted her weight uneasily. “I would like to speak with you about the leave, Captain.”

Janeway grinned again. “Funny, that’s what I wanted to discuss with you too. Go ahead, what’s on your mind?”

“I have no desire to spend time with Irene Hansen. Since she is my only living relative, I really have no desire to leave the ship. I would request to spend my leave here on **_Voyager_**. That will afford me access to the Borg alcoves so that I can regenerate without difficulty. I would also be available to help Starfleet technicians with the engineering, astrometric, armor and weaponry enhancements we installed.”

Janeway’s grin faded at this statement. “Well, of course, if you want to spend you leave on board I’m sure I can arrange it for you. But … but I asked you here to see if you wanted to come home to Indiana with me. I invited you - do you remember that? I hoped… you might want to come with me. My mother would love to have you. And… and… we can take your portable regeneration unit off the **_Delta Flyer_**. You could use that at the farm. If … if you… wanted to come.”

_Great! You’re stammering like a teenaged boy asking a girl on his first date. Smooth, Janeway. Very, very smooth. Get a grip for God’s sake!_

Even as Kathryn berated herself for the awkward invitation, she was rewarded with the most glowing smile it had even been her privilege to witness from the ex-drone.

“You wish me to accompany you to your family farm for our leave? You remembered?”

“Of, course I did! I may not have your eidetic memory, but I certainly remember asking you to come home with me. Would you like to? I think it will be more enjoyable than staying on board. Well, it will if I can keep Phoebe away from you. What do you say?”

Seven’s smile grew in intensity. “I would like that very much, Captain.”

“I think that you’d better start getting used to calling me Kathryn. Mom and Phoebe will tease me unmercifully if you call me ‘captain’ at the farm.” She gestured for Seven to follow her. “Come in here, I’ve got a few things for you.”

Seven walked into Janeway’s bedroom and stared at the clothing neatly folded on the bed. “Are these types of garments required on your family farm, Capt – Kathryn? If so, I will need to replicate some…”

“No, Seven, these _are_ for you. They’re not a lot, but there are enough for a few days. We can get you more once we get to Indiana. But the weather will be cold so you’ll need insulated clothing and the outerwear I included.”

Seven’s soft gaze nearly melted Janeway’s bones. “You replicated these garments for _me?_ ”

“I thought… I wanted you to be warm enough. And I thought… maybe you would feel more comfortable if you were dressed like the rest of us. So I… I… replicated these for you.”

Seven’s eyes never left Janeway’s face. “Thank you, Kathryn.”

To cover the racing of her heart and the probable blush she felt from the heat of her face, Janeway turned and began packing the clothing into the carryall. “Don’t forget to pack your personal items. We’ll have toothpaste and soap and shampoo at the farm, but you’ll want your own toothbrush and hairbrush and whatever. And don’t forget to make sure your portable regeneration unit is fully charged and packed in its case.”

“Yes, Kathryn, I know. I will go directly to the **_Flyer_** from here and make sure the unit is ready.”

“Okay then. I guess that’s everything. I’ll hail you when we get closer to disembarkation. I know the brass will have to have _some_ kind of ceremony before they’ll let us go. Once it gets started, you just stick close to me and we’ll be headed to Indiana before you know it. Do you have any other duties you need to complete before we leave the ship?”

“I had planned on assisting the Engineering crew to lock down the warp drive. They are somewhat shorthanded with Lieutenant Torres having the baby.”

“Good idea. Let me know if they need any more help, won’t you? B’Elanna leaves a big hole when she’s not in Engineering.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Kathryn, Seven. It’s Kathryn when we’re alone like this, okay?”

“I…yes, _Kathryn_. I will take the bag back to Cargo Bay two and finish packing then report to Engineering.”

“Test and secure the portable regeneration unit first. Make sure it will support your requirements. Then…” Janeway’s grin was as mischievous as the twinkle in her eyes. “Do you still know how to bypass the security protocols on my quarters?”

Seven had the good grace to blush at the reminder of her impertinence. “My eidetic memory makes forgetting things…difficult, Kathryn.”

“Well then, when you finish packing your bag and get the regenerator packed up, bring both of them here. I’ll pack and we can both leave from here when we get the all clear. How does that sound?”

“Agreeable. I will do so at once. And…Kathryn?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you. I really did not wish to spend leave on board the ship. I was…apprehensive about spending it alone on the planet.”

“You’re not going to be alone, Seven.” _You won’t ever be alone again if I can help it. If I can find the nerve to tell you how I feel. All I want for Christmas is the woman I love. I wonder if Santa delivers courage in Christmas stockings?_

*** * * * ***

An hour and a half later, Captain Janeway stood at the foot of the gangway and shook hands with each member of her crew as they left the ship. Seven stood to her right and slightly behind her and watched with interest as the jubilant **_Voyager_** crew raced into the arms of loved ones assembled on the main concourse of the station. She had scanned the crowd during the brief Starfleet ceremony and had located the Janeways in the VIP seats. At least she was fairly certain they were the Janeways; both had the same amazing cheekbones and classic beauty of the captain and the younger of the two had long hair only a few shades redder than the captain’s… _than_ _Kathryn’s_ auburn hair. Seven had pointed them out to Janeway and watched as Kathryn’s face broke into an incandescent grin that was reflected back on the faces of both other women.

The Starfleet ceremony had been mercifully brief and the moment the last admiral had shaken Captain Janeway’s hand, **_Voyager’s_** C.O. had made her way to the gangway where the crew had assembled and begun wishing everyone well. As Janeway shook the hands of the last few stragglers on the ramp, she turned to Seven and grinned.

“Time to meet the family, Seven.” The women grabbed their luggage and began to thread their way through the throngs of Starfleet brass still chatting around the hastily erected podium and stage. Seven found herself trailing after Kathryn as the two made their way inexorably toward the other Janeway women. Finally, they stood before them. Kathryn’s lips trembled and tears filled her eyes as she faced her mother after seven long years.

“Hi, Mom. I’m home,” she whispered and threw herself into her mother’s arms. Gretchen and Phoebe both wrapped their arms around her and hugged her tightly. It was a tossup as to who was crying harder, Kathryn or Gretchen. Phoebe was crying too, but not so hard that she couldn’t grin through her tears and disengage herself from the Janeway hug. She stuck out her hand and officially welcomed Seven to Earth.

“I’m Phoebe, the brat. You must be the Seven of Nine we’ve heard so much about. Welcome to the family!”

Seven hesitantly shook her hand and gave one of her small smiles. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Phoebe.” An instruction of the EMH’s during her social lessons came to mind and she added it. “Thank you for allowing me to stay with you during our leave.”

Phoebe looked at her quizzically. “You talk funny. Why is that?”

Seven’s smile widened slightly. “I am Borg. We value efficiency and precision. My speech reflects that.”

Phoebe’s eyes drifted down the length of Seven in her biometric suit and back up again. “And do all Borg look like you do?”

“No. Captain Janeway, _Kathryn_ , tells me that I am unique.”

“I can see why she’d say that. However, you’re going to freeze solid if you wear that back home. Are there any other clothes in that bag of yours?”

“Yes, Kathryn replicated some appropriate clothing for me to wear.”

“Well, lets get you into some of it before we head back to the farm. Mom? Kathryn? I’m going to take Seven to change her clothes. She’ll freeze if she goes home dressed like this.”

Gretchen gently disengaged herself from her eldest daughter and wiped the tears off her cheeks. “Not until you let me say hello too. We’re so glad you could join us, Seven.” Gretchen’s hug was unexpected and Seven’s eyes widened sharply. Hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around the slender woman and gently hugged back. To her astonishment, she felt a warm contentment begin to bloom in her chest.

“Thank you for having me, Mrs. Janeway.”

“Call me Gretchen, darling. I see what Phoebe means. Both of you need to change before we leave for home. It’s been a hard winter already.”

“My biometric suit has insular properties and is suitable for many climatic conditions,” Seven interjected.

Phoebe’s eyes glinted with an evil twinkle as she came back with, “The wind chill was -10 below when we left. Will it stand up to that?”

Seven’s optical implant cocked nearly to her hairline. The twinkle in her eyes matched Phoebe’s in intensity. “Fahrenheit or Celsius?”

Phoebe’s laughter rang across the docking bay. “Kathryn, you’ve got a live one this time. I like her. C’mon Seven, let’s get you into some comfortable clothes that won’t have a parade of drooling Starfleet officers following us.” She leaned over to grab one of their bags, managed to lift if six inches off the ground then dropped it with a deep “Oomph!” Straightening up she stared at Seven in disbelief. “What the hell is in _there?_ ”

“That is my portable regeneration unit. My Borg implants require direct energy interface to function properly. Here, you may carry my clothing and I will carry the regeneration unit.” Seven handed her shoulder bag to Phoebe and nonchalantly picked up the heavy duranium case with one hand.

Now _Phoebe’s_ eyebrow nearly reached her hairline. “Seven, exactly what do your Borg implants allow you to _do?_ ”

Janeway noticed several of the Starfleet brass had turned to listen at Phoebe’s last comment and inserted herself into the conversation.

“Changing clothes is a great idea. Is there a lounge or restroom nearby?” Gretchen caught her daughter’s eye and began moving the group away from the ship and the remaining Starfleet officials. They located a staff lounge nearby and Kathryn and Seven donned their civilian clothing. They unpacked but carried their outerwear. Seven decided that she liked the feel of her new jeans and hiking boots and told Janeway so. Kathryn always nursed a suspicion that **_Voyager’s_** EMH had harbored romantic feelings for Seven of Nine and insisted she wear the revealing biosuits out of a prurient interest rather than a medical one. It would be good to see how Seven fared out of them for a few days. If she could wear normal clothing with no ill effects then Janeway decided she would simply decompile the EMH’s program.

The four women left the lounge and headed for the transport area of the Station. Admiral Paris had put a shuttle and pilot at their disposal as soon as the initial contact with **_Voyager_** had been made. He made sure the wife of his old Academy roommate would be at McKinley Station to watch her eldest daughter walk off the starship she had commanded so heroically for seven years. While they had been escorted to the docking bay for the welcome ceremonies, The four women found their journey to the transport area of McKinley a long and convoluted one. Every few steps another of **_Voyager’s_** crew wanted to introduce family and loved ones to Captain Janeway.

Phoebe listened in near amazement as the families thanked her older sister effusively for the safe return of their member of thecrew. She watched as Kathryn quietly repeated over and over that the entire crew was responsible for their safe return. She saw the crew member straighten proudly as Kathryn praised their service on **_Voyager_** to their families. She felt the gratitude emanating from those people for whom Kathryn had been responsible and for the first time in her life, Phoebe Janeway appreciated what an onerous burden of command her father and sister gladly bore. She glanced at the former Borg drone at her side and saw the glowing pride she felt for Kathryn plain on Seven’s beautiful face.

Eventually the four women navigated the crush of the welcoming throng and arrived at their shuttle. A spit-shined ensign stood stiffly at attention as the Janeways and Seven approached. Seven heard Kathryn’s quiet snort of amusement at the sight.

“Captain Janeway, sir!” barked the ensign standing even straighter if that was possible.

“At ease before you sprain something, Ensign!” snapped Kathryn. “Starfleet tradition notwithstanding, I dislike being called ‘sir’. I prefer ‘captain’, ma’am’ in a crunch…but I’ll tell you when it’s crunch time. Clear?”

“Yes, Captain!”

“Very well, Ensign. It has been seven long years since I was home in Indiana. How fast do you think you can safely deliver us there?”

The youngster’s eyes sparked at the challenge. “Sit down and strap in, Captain. I’ll have you home in no time at all,” he said, gesturing at the co-pilot’s seat.

“Seven, man the tactical console.”

“Kathryn, we are in the heart of the Alpha quadrant. There is no viable threat here.”

“No, there’s no threat. But if this stalwart young man is good to his word, we’ll need some fast hands on the sensors to make sure the flight path is clear.” Seven merely nodded and took her place.

“Oh Lord,” murmured Gretchen reaching for the safety harness. “I’d forgotten; she’s just like her father where speed is concerned.”

The ensign _was_ as good as his word and with Janeway and Seven observing closely, he piloted the shuttle to the Janeway farm with flair and almost-but-not-quite reckless abandon. Janeway turned to Seven as the shuttle flared out and set gently down on the snow-covered lawn and whispered, “Remind you of anyone?”

“I did not believe he said his name was ‘Paris’, Captain, but there _are_ similarities.”

Janeway laughed as she disengaged her safety harness. “Well done, Ensign. When did you graduate from the Academy?”

“Thank you, Captain Janeway. I graduated last June.”

“Have you got your fleet billet yet?”

“Not yet, Captain. But I hope to soon; I was Exec of the Nova Squadron and scuttlebutt says that Flight Controller positions are filled first and that the cadet squadrons are the first cadets placed.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll be a credit to whatever ship you’re assigned. You’re a natural pilot. Just remember that a starship isn’t as nimble as the WASP trainers you flew and you’ll do fine. What’s your name, Ensign, in case I need a good helmsman for my next command?”

“Jason Nicoletti, Captain.”

“Any relation to Lieutenant Susan Nicoletti of my crew?”

“My aunt, Captain.”

“Well if you’re half as good a helmsman as she is an engineer Starfleet will gain another fine officer.” Janeway stood and slipped on her parka as Seven helped Phoebe and Gretchen gather up their bags. “Have a good winter holiday, Ensign. We’ll see you around the fleet.”

“And you as well, Captain. It was a pleasure flying you.”

And just that quickly, Kathryn and Seven were standing in the blowing snow looking at the large farmhouse as the shuttle lifted off. Seven saw tears gather in Kathryn’s eyes as Gretchen and Phoebe pulled them along the shoveled path to the back door. They mounted three broad steps to the back porch and stamped the snow off their boots before entering.

Seven wished she had some frame of reference in which to catalogue the myriad of sensations she experienced in those first few minutes in the Janeway home. The scent of the last meal, faint on the air. The click of the dogs’ nails on the hardwood of the kitchen floor as they leapt to greet Phoebe and Gretchen and then more cautiously sniffed Kathryn and Seven before accepting them into the household. The large decorated Christmas tree surrounded by numerous gaily-wrapped presents in one corner of the living room and the scent of burning apple wood as Phoebe lit a fire in the fireplace. The comfortable warmth and sense of permanence of the rooms as compared to what she knew of starships.

Gretchen told them to gather their bags and follow her and then led them upstairs to their rooms. Kathryn grinned and made her way to the last door on the left side of the hallway, Gretchen threw open the last door on the right for Seven.

“This is our guest room, Seven. I hope you’ll be comfortable in here.”

“I’m sure I will, Gretchen. It looks very…welcoming.”

Gretchen caught the hesitation in her voice and asked gently, “Is there something wrong, Seven?”

“Oh, no, Gretchen. It is just that I have no experience with houses and rooms and dogs. I have lived my entire life on starships. I have no words to describe what I am feeling. But _welcoming_ is as close as I can get.”

Gretchen smiled. “Well, it’s your room from now on. We’ll just turn the small study downstairs into the new guest room if anybody else stays. So welcome home, dear.” Seven was not demonstrative, but even she was caught up in Gretchen’s hug and returned it without hesitation. The warm feeling in her chest had returned and was spreading that good feeling throughout her abdomen.

“Unpack your things and get settled. Then come downstairs for something hot to drink. I believe Kathryn said you prefer tea to coffee. Will Earl Grey be acceptable?”

“Very acceptable. I like Earl Grey. Thank you, Gretchen.” The older woman smiled again and lightly kissed Seven’s cheek as she left the room. It took Seven only moments to place her clothing in the closet and dresser and she began to examine the room for a power source for her portable regenerator.

A couple of minutes later, Kathryn stuck her head in the door and saw no sign of her Astrometrics officer.

“Seven? Are you in here?” The ex-drone’s head popped up from the far side of the bed. “What are you doing on the floor, Seven?”

“I am searching for a suitable power source for my regeneration unit. I have found what appears to be an electrical source, but I do not believe it will carry sufficient current to power my unit.”

“No, it won’t. That’s just a standard household circuit. But we have heavy-duty power cells in the barn and can recharge them out there. I’ll bring one in to power your regenerator after dinner. That should fix you up. How often will you need to regenerate?”

“If I sleep during the nights and consume solid nutrition I should function optimally with a three hour cycle every other day.”

“Good enough. We’ll make sure the cells are fully charged then. Come on downstairs and let’s sit by the fire and relax.”

A few minutes later all four women were comfortably settled in the living room as Phoebe added another log to the fire. Seven sat on the couch and smiled in amusement as Kathryn settled on the floor near the fireplace and was immediately mobbed by several dogs. Rather than push the animals away, Kathryn wrestled with them, scratching vigorously behind their ears and rubbing any stomachs that were presented to her. After about twenty minutes of roughhousing, Seven was treated to the sight of her former commanding officer sprawled against some cushions with three dogs asleep on her. Kathryn was grinning from ear to ear as Phoebe and Gretchen explained how they acquired each of the canines.

Seven demurred at first when Phoebe invited her down onto the floor to join them and make friends with the dogs, but eventually gave in and sat amidst the cushions with Kathryn. Almost immediately, a cold, wet nose pressed against her Borg hand and she tentatively reached out to allow a more thorough examination. All three dogs sniffed her implant thoroughly before one tentatively licked it. Seven slowly reached to stroke the velvet soft fur of the animal’s muzzle. The dog immediately crawled into her lap and curled into a ball with a huge sigh of contentment. All of the Janeway’s grinned at the sight.

“We’ll make a dog lover out of you yet, Seven,” laughed Phoebe.

Seven, for her part, was dazzled at the trusting nature of the animal and kept stroking its head and neck. Eventually, by small increments, the dog managed to wriggle over onto its back and the stroking was on its stomach. Seven watched in delight as the dog’s tongue lolled in canine ecstasy at her touch. No other living creature had ever accepted her so easily before.

For her part, Kathryn saw the joy in Seven’s eyes and felt it like a sucker punch to the gut. She vowed to herself to spend the rest of her life trying to keep that light in her eyes. She still hadn’t a clue how she was going to tell Seven of her feelings and she wasn’t at all sure the ex-drone could even _understand_ Janeway’s feelings, but she knew that somehow she had to find a way.

Gretchen saved her from becoming a sentimental puddle by announcing that she was going to start dinner. Seven smiled her small smile and asked if she might help. Kathryn was quick to explain.

“Mom, Seven learned to enjoy cooking on **_Voyager_**. She made dinner for the senior staff several times and it was delicious.”

“Kathryn has told me on many occasions that you are an accomplished cook. I would appreciate the opportunity to learn from you if I could,” Seven said shyly.

“Well then, get your tail in gear and let’s get started. Finally! After all these years I get some help in the kitchen. All my girls seem able to do in there is _eat_.”

“But, Mom, somebody has to appreciate your efforts or they’ll be wasted!” cracked Phoebe.

“Quiet, smarty pants! Seven, ignore my youngest daughter; she has no appreciation of what it takes to produce a good meal. You come with me.”

The two women left for the kitchen and Phoebe and Kathryn looked at each other in silence for a long moment.

“She looks older. How has she been?”

“When Starfleet declared **_Voyager_** officially lost she aged ten years overnight. But Kathryn, she _never_ lost hope. She always said that if any captain in the fleet could bring a ship back from the dead it would be you. She badgered every friend Daddy had; she petitioned the Federation Council, our representatives, she even managed to get an appointment with the Federation President. She never once doubted that you were alive. She organized the families, ran petition drives to keep **_Voyager_** in the minds of the admirals, and visited Starfleet Headquarters once a month. You wouldn’t believe what she went through.”

“And then one afternoon a shuttle landed in the yard with Owen Paris on board. He said that a hologram had been transmitted across most of the galaxy on some alien network. That is was from **_Voyager_** and it had messages for us. He flew us to Headquarters so we could watch the debriefing and listen to what had happened to you. Once we knew you were alive and trying to get home, she was like a new woman. Instead of going to HQ once a month, she went almost weekly. There wasn’t an admiral in the building that she didn’t harangue despite the Dominion War. She simply would not allow them to forget about you or put your rescue on a back burner. It was her insistence that began the Pathfinder Project. If she hadn’t laid a massive guilt trip on Owen, Pathfinder never would have been funded. But _she_ did, and _he_ did and Reg Barclay managed to get a signal through to you. Mom did that.”

“Phoebe, I wish there was some way I could tell her how much all that meant to us. I…I’m not good at expressing deep emotions like you are. But once Starfleet had sent us a message my whole crew changed. They walked taller; they worked even harder once we knew Starfleet knew we were out there. Seven did research on a slipstream drive that will turn the Daystrom Institute and the TPG on their collective ears. I found her in our Astrometrics lab one night around 0300 hours and I asked her what she was doing. She told me she had an idea and was refining it. That it might make the difference in building a working slipstream drive. I told her it was late and that she should go regenerate. Then I asked her how long she’d been working on it. ’72.67 hours, Captain,’ she replied. At that point, Seven didn’t know she had any family here; her home was the Delta quadrant. She only knew that it was important to us to get home. So she worked for 72.67 hours on an idea that might make the difference for us. All because Starfleet sent us a message and told us we weren’t alone any more.”

Phoebe grinned. “Kathryn, I don’t think Seven of Nine worked for 72.67 hours just because it was important to the crew. I think Seven worked 72.67 hours because getting home was important to _you_. Both Mom and I saw how she looks at you when she thinks you don’t notice.”

Janeway flushed. “Phoebe, I don’t know what to do. As the captain I couldn’t…there were regulations…it didn’t matter how I felt. I just couldn’t. Are you sure, Phoebe? I’ve… I’ve spent so long… loving… her I don’t know if I could bear it if… Are you _sure_ , Phoebe?”

The younger Janeway leaned over and squeezed her older sister’s hand. “I’m sure, Katie. The girl loves you.” She looked deep into her sister’s eyes. “How long, Kathryn?”

“Since we first severed her from the Borg. Oh God, she was angry! I had to confine her to the brig and she kept throwing herself against the force field demanding that I give her a beacon and set her down on an uninhabited planet or moon. That the Borg would come for her. I’ve found out since that they _would_ have; she was to be the next Queen. The Borg Queen would have sent an armada in search of Seven. And when they found her and discovered what I had done, that armada would have been dispatched to destroy **_Voyager_**. I couldn’t let her go back. Then we almost lost her because her human physiology began to reassert itself and she began to reject critical implants. It was touch and go for days. Our EMH had to resuscitate her six or seven times before he got her stabilized. Then I looked at her and she had the face of an angel and I realized the magnitude of what had been done to her; not just by the Borg but also by us. I decided that the only way I could make it up to her was to help her regain her humanity in any way I could. She fought me. Tooth and nail. She couldn’t see the logic in anything we did or how we did it. Chain of command? She could have cared less. And the more she fought the more I fell in love.”

“You need to tell her that, Kathryn.”

“I know. I just don’t know how to do it. And Phoebe,” Kathryn’s eyes were bleak, “I’m terrified. All the men I’ve been with realized that they would take a back seat to my career. She won’t settle for that. She deserves better than that.”

“So give her better than that. Kathryn, Seven has spent her life in space. If you two are together, she’ll gladly follow you to the ends of the galaxy and back. She’s already followed you back from the Delta quadrant. She’s not like Mark. She’ll _want_ to travel the stars with you. Just take a deep breath and tell her how you feel. You know Mom and I will support you. Hell, she’s the best one you’ve brought home yet. Mark and Justin were duds, sis. We all knew it; Mom just never let me say anything to you. You finally brought home a winner. Don’t lose her now.”

Kathryn took a deep, steadying breath. “I won’t. I just have to figure out the best way to do it.”

“Well, you’ve got ten days. If you can’t manage to seal the deal in that length of time, Mom and I might have to step in and adopt her. That way, she’ll keep coming here until you manage not to trip over your tongue and level with her.” Phoebe glanced out the window at the darkening sky. “But right now, you and I better go put out some food and water for the barn cats. Snow is forecast for tonight, probably heavy. We’ll need to make sure they have enough for a couple of days. And don’t you need to bring in a power cell for Seven’s regeneration unit?”

The sisters rose, dressed in warm coats and gloves and headed out to do their chores.

*** * * * ***

The snow started falling around 2000 hours that night and continued unabated most of the next day…Christmas Eve. Gretchen put Seven to work in the kitchen readying as much as possible for the Christmas feast she had planned for the next day. Kathryn had insisted that she take a break and go for a romp with the dogs in the falling show. Gretchen’s heart swelled with joy as she watched Kathryn, Seven and Phoebe hurling snowballs at each other and frolicking with the dogs in the powdery snow.

Several cups of hot cocoa later, Phoebe and Kathryn had decided that Seven would not be allowed in any further snowball fights as her Borg optical array and hand combined to be as effective as a laser-targeting array and she had thoroughly pasted them both. Gretchen laughed as her daughters complained and Seven stoically endured their teasing, merely commenting that she did not think it particularly mature of the sisters to complain just because they had been soundly defeated by a novice. “After all, I _am_ Borg.” Kathryn and Phoebe both collapsed in helpless laughter at that one.

Dinner was another happy occasion, as Gretchen made sure that the meal included Kathryn’s favorite foods. She and Seven had baked some holiday cookies that afternoon and the four of them delighted in the festive treats in front of the fire with their after-dinner coffees and tea.

Kathryn was dispatched to the back porch to bring in another armload of wood and commented that the snowfall had stopped and the clouds were breaking up. Phoebe amused them all by spending a goodly amount of the evening shaking every package under the tree and attempting to guess the contents. Seven was astonished at the number of presents that had her name on them and suspected collusion between Kathryn and her family. She was amazed that there were even gaily-wrapped presents for the _dogs_ under the tree.

The fire burned low as the evening grew late and conversation waned. Gretchen rose and closed the doors on the firebox as Phoebe carried plates and cups back to the kitchen. Kathryn turned the dogs out into the yard for the last time and Seven joined her at the back door.

Seven of Nine had seen many stellar phenomena in her life among the stars, but the beauty of a full moon shining on a blanket of fresh snow literally took her breath away. Kathryn heard the involuntary gasp and realized how deeply the beauty of the night had affected the young woman.

“Let’s bundle up and go for a walk. What do you say?”

Seven’s eyes glowed at the thought. “Oh, yes Kathryn! I would like that very much.”

Janeway called quietly to her mother that they were going out for a while and the two women donned their parkas. Janeway made sure Seven’s earmuffs were in place and with a barely concealed grin, lovingly wrapped the cashmere scarf around Seven’s throat. When everything that needed to be covered was, they walked onto the porch and down the steps into the yard.

The snow crunched loudly under their feet and the dogs ran ahead as they walked down the drive toward the lane. The astringent beauty of the winter’s night moved Seven deeply. The rolling hills were painted in shades of silver and indigo. Thousands of stars twinkled overhead and the frigid air was so still it was as if the world held its breath.

er hand brushed against Kathryn’s as they walked and her knees nearly gave out when she felt her captain grasp it and intertwine their fingers. They walked on in silence for a bit, content to hold hands and absorb the beauty around them.

Kathryn squeezed Seven’s hand as they topped a small rise and they stopped together. Janeway said softly, “There is a classic Christmas poem called ‘A Visit From Saint Nicholas’ that describes a night like this. ‘The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave a luster of midday to objects below.’ That’s the closest any words I’ve heard come to describing this kind of beauty.” She turned to Seven and looked up at the woman she loved. “So, what do you think of Indiana so far?”

"Indiana is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, Kathryn.” Seven summoned all her courage and looked directly into the deep blue eyes she loved so well. “Because you are here.”

The undiluted honesty of that statement drove the air from Janeway’s lungs. She could summon no words, no coherent thought. Slowly, with trembling fingers she reached up and cupped Seven’s cheek. She stood on tiptoe to reach the lips she had dreamt of for so long. They brushed softly, sweetly as the unspoken question was asked.

Kathryn drew back; terrified she had pressed Seven too hard. For timeless seconds they faced each other, gazes locked. Then Seven moved, gently capturing the wine-shaded lips she had desired for so long. Softly at first and then more firmly, she drank in the sweetness of Kathryn’s kiss, drawing the smaller woman into her arms. They clung to each other reveling in the magic of that moment, two lost souls finally finding safe haven together. Kathryn’s arms slipped around her neck and their kiss deepened, neither willing to end it.

Finally, they broke apart and just held each other. Janeway felt the sturdiness of Seven’s body against her and thought she might die from the joy she felt as she nestled into the crook of the younger woman’s neck. Seven felt the missing pieces of her soul fall into place as she rested her cheek against Kathryn’s hair and felt the warmth of the smaller woman in her arms. They stood like that for many minutes silently basking in their love, bathed in moonlight and surrounded by the romping dogs.

Kathryn felt Seven pull slightly away from her and she leaned back to look up at the beautiful face above her as Seven spoke quietly.

“I love you, Kathryn Janeway. I loved you before I understood what love meant. I had no words to describe how I felt, only that when I was with you I felt whole. With you I am complete, Kathryn.”

“Oh, Seven, I love you too. I couldn’t say anything while I was in command…I couldn’t. But I’ve loved you almost from the moment we severed your connection to the Collective. Your anger, your rage, your independence – everything about you stirred feelings in me that I told myself was pride in your accomplishments. For the longest time I wouldn’t let myself realize it. I kept trying to tell myself that I admired you; that what I felt was respect. It wasn’t. It was love. A kind of love I’ve never felt before, for anyone. I don’t know what you plan on doing with the rest of your life, but I can’t imagine the rest of mine without you in it. Will you have me, Seven?”

“To have you will be most…acceptable, Kathryn.”

Anything else that might have been said was lost in a kiss. After a while, they broke apart and started back for the house, Janeway’s arm wrapped around Seven’s waist and Seven’s around the smaller woman’s shoulders. A quiet whistle brought the dogs at a run and the happy group headed for hearth and home.

They stamped the snow off their boots on the porch and hung coats and scarves in the mudroom. Holding hands, they made their way quietly up the stairs to their rooms at the end of the hall. Both hesitated, nervous and unsure. Then Kathryn slowly reached out and clasped Seven’s other hand, her eyes again asking the unspoken question. Seven’s soft smile answered it and with a gentle tug, Kathryn led her to their bed, quietly closing the door behind them.

*** * * * ***

Gretchen woke the next morning to brilliant sunshine on the snow. She rose and pulled on her robe and slippers and quietly went downstairs to put the coffee on. Coming back upstairs, she quickly made her bed and walked down the hall to Kathryn’s room to wake her. Easing the door open, she caught a quick breath at the sight before her: Kathryn blissfully asleep in Seven’s arms with enough bare shoulders exposed to tell Gretchen that pajamas were not in use. She rapped smartly on the door and was glad to see Kathryn’s instinctive movement on waking was to burrow closer to Seven, not pull away.

“Morning, Mom,” her daughter mumbled sleepily. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Gretchen,” Seven looked simply luminous in her happiness.

“Merry Christmas to both of you. Put on your robes and come downstairs and we’ll open presents. The coffee’s brewing now.”

“’K, we’ll be down in jus’ a minute.” Kathryn yawned mightily then shook herself and smiled adoringly at Seven as Gretchen softly closed the door behind herself.

Crossing the hall, she knocked on Phoebe’s door and opened it wide. “Merry Christmas, sleepyhead. Robe and slippers and let’s open presents.” Phoebe answered with a huge yawn and a grin. “Merry Christmas, Mom. I’ll be right down.”

Gretchen made a brief stop in her room and took a small velvet box from her dresser. In the study, she quickly wrapped it in some festive holiday paper and fastened a bow on top. She slipped the gift into her pocket and went to organize the morning’s coffee and tea.

A prolonged hoot of laughter from upstairs told her that Phoebe had discovered Kathryn and Seven emerging from the same room and she smiled to herself. She would have to make sure Phoebe didn’t tease Kathryn _too_ badly all morning.

When everyone made it downstairs, appropriately clad in pajamas, robes and slippers, they made their way into the living room. Phoebe began to organize the presents into piles and Gretchen handed the small package in her pocket to Kathryn.

“You’ll want to open this one first, dear.”

Janeway made quick work of the wrapping and with wide eyes, opened the box. Inside lay a beautiful solitaire diamond, her Grandmother Taylor’s engagement ring. She looked at her mother who smiled and nodded and then taking the ring from the box, she turned to Seven.

“I asked you last night. Do I need to ask you again?”

“You do not, Kathryn. My answer is the same: yes.” 

Janeway slipped the ring on Seven’s finger and the look of joy on her face as she kissed her fiancée was so bright that it silenced even Phoebe. All in all, it was a nice way to begin the rest of their lives.

**Finis**


End file.
